Morning Bell: Showdown Over A Shutdown

It has been more than 40 days since the House passed a budget for 2011, cutting spending by $61 billion. The task was left undone by the previous Democrat-controlled Congress, the first time since 1974, an embarrassing feat for a body charged with holding the purse strings. Today that task remains incomplete, and the moment until a partial government shutdown is growing near, easily measured in hours, not days. It’s time for action and leadership, not press conferences and finger pointing.

But yesterday a press conference is exactly what we got. Following a joint meeting among President Barack Obama, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in which no agreement on the budget was reached, the president appeared before the media. His message? He shouldn’t have to shepherd this process through Congress; in other words, he shouldn’t have to lead:

I shouldn’t have to oversee a process in which Congress deals with last year’s budget where we only have six months left – especially when both parties have agreed that we need to make substantial cuts and we’re more or less at the same number.

But shouldn’t the president lead when members of his own party refuse to come to the table? You see, President Obama isn’t the only member of the “Me? Lead?” club. Majority Leader Reid, who is responsible for passing a budget through the Senate, has failed to pass the House budget or offer a credible alternative. Indeed, when questioned by reporters following his meeting with Boehner, Reid resorted to pointing fingers. The Washington Post reports:

Reid continued to accuse Republicans of not being “fair and reasonable” in their demands for higher cuts and specific changes to social and regulatory policies. Asked if he would be willing to reach $40 billion in cuts, however, Reid demurred.

“I’m not negotiating here what we’re going to do ultimately,” he told reporters.

What Reid plans to do, ultimately, remains a mystery. He says his party has gone as far as it can go on budget cuts and, likewise, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he would not support Boehner’s latest round of cuts, as The Hill reports. Their motivation is the same as it has been all along – play politics with the budget.

So it remains that the parties stand at an impasse, leaving the government teetering on the brink of a partial shutdown. But despite President Obama’s apocalyptic warnings, a shutdown is not the catastrophe he paints it to be. Even if Congress and the president fail to reach agreement, Social Security checks are still mailed, and essential services continue, including military, law enforcement, VA care, and others.

During the 1995 shutdown, approximately 800,000 federal workers were initially furloughed. Given the growth of the federal workforce since then, today that number would likely be higher. Still, that leaves most of the federal workforce and military still working. In fact, the Department of Defense, power grid maintenance, border patrol, Coast Guard, air traffic controllers, inpatient and emergency outpatient medical care, and other vital services continued. But, in anticipation of a partial shutdown, Congress should immediately pass a Department of Defense appropriations bill to ensure that our military is fully funded in any scenario. Speaker Boehner is pushing for just that, and this is certainly an area where bipartisan support should be expected.

Remarkably, a partial shutdown is a reality simply because the Democratic leadership is drawing a line in the sand over a few billions of dollars in cuts, what Fox News’ Megyn Kelly accurately described as “teaspoons in the ocean.” The United States is $14.3 trillion in debt, and according to a CBO report, the federal government ran a budget deficit of $223 billion in February. Meanwhile, the Senate sits on its hands over cuts that amount to a few days of deficit spending. Heritage’s J.D. Foster explains:

With all the focus on legislative tactics, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that the battle is between the modest spending cuts passed by the House and Senator Reid’s shamefully puny cuts. The issue is not whether the course of government will change dramatically. It won’t. President Obama and congressional Democrats already drove spending rapidly higher. Even under the House bill, spending would continue to grow substantially. This battle is only the first of many.

The budget aside, there are other national priorities that are falling by the wayside while Congress focuses on a budget that should have been dealt with last year. Unemployment remains stuck at 8.8 percent, American men and women are at war in Afghanistan, U.S. forces remain in Iraq, the United States is engaged in Libya and energy prices are soaring. The next budget process is already underway and Congress should be focused on creating the conditions for job growth and a stronger economic recovery. In short, there is other work to be done.

Yesterday, President Obama said, “The only question is whether politics or ideology are going to get in the way of preventing a government shutdown.” It has already gotten in the way, Mr. President. The fact remains that the House passed a budget, the Senate has not, and Democratic leadership is posturing for political gain. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

Perhaps if President Obama were more willing to lead in 2010, when his party first abdicated its responsibility to pass a budget, Congress and the American people would not be where we are today – staring a partial government shutdown straight in the eye, all while trillions of dollars in debt await future generations. Majority Leader Reid and President Obama now must put politics aside, agree to modestly cut spending, move the process forward and avoid a shutdown.

Quick Hits:

The head of the largest federal employees union said his group will sue the federal government for workers’ pay if there’s a shutdown. Their claim? A violation of the 13th Amendment’s prohibition against slavery.

The federal workforce costs America $6.4 billion a week. A shutdown will mean these workers are not to report to their offices – BUT THEY WILL BE PAID REGARDLESS!

This means a shutdown will end up COSTING the taxpayer upwards of $1.3 billion a day of NO PRODUCTIVITY. It will not save the taxpayer a cent.

Moreover, for those federal workers that do accomplish something, they will become a week behind or whatever timeframe we are talking about. This will justify them hiring MORE federal workers or hiring back-pocket contractors with no-bid contracts to help pick up the slack. In this case it may end up costing America dearly.

This shutdown will only reward NON-ECCENTIAL federal workers with what will amount to a taxpayer vacation.

This will on the humanitarian side cause these workers to go without pay for a period of time which can cause many to go into a tail-spin with the huge rents they have to pay on their DC luxurious apartments. Though it would be nice to have these feds get a lower and more reasonable and equitable pay, this is not a method that we should encourage.

A shutdown will end up costing America in money we do not have. We need to agree to more cuts and do two more weeks until we can get something to get us through the end of the year.

The only way to cut significant sums of money is to do an across the board cut of 15% or a savings of $500 billion. Everything gets hit with no discrimination. This shoudl be non-political and should pass easily. Lets get this done. All members in congress will likely get rewarded with a much higher poll readings.

Shut it down and take on the argument. To win the argument, lead with the same statistic this author leads with: ZERO = the number of 2011 budgets passed by the irrespsonsible Donkey Party when the held both sides of capitol Hill. Donkeys have forfeited any standing in this "negotiation" with their record of delinquency.

A Gov't shutdown would be a good thing. When Congress takes a vacation at least they can do no harm. As for 800,000 feferal workers furlowed, that would be far to many. 400,000 should be fired. That way only 400,000 would have to be furlowed. Then, with all the savings from not paying the fired federal workers congress would be able to finally reach an agreement.

The Democratic and Republican parties are totally inattentive to the needs of the American people. The best thing that could happen is that both parties and their politicians could magically disappear one day and in their stead, a few statemen might come forth and save America from the self destructive behaviour that is firmly entrenched in Washington. The American people really need to take control of their government –and soon!

I disagree. Now is NOT the time for a "modest" spending cut. Conservatives need to continue to demand significant spending cuts! And you do not address the impending debt ceiling. That is part of this whole mix and must be dealt with as it is possibly more significant than a government "shut down."

Reid and Obama will use the DOD bill to gain major concessions from little johnny – then, when they see how truly weak he is – they will go for a shutdown (and it will be their idea!). Imagine if little johnny was in charge of the Third Army after D-Day. The Germans would have pushed them into the sea with a broom. This complete lack of guts, leadership and respect for the American voters is appauling. Heritage should start a scorecard so more members could see the fruitless performance of this "republican" House of Representatives.

It's not going to happen. The president and the Dems look at the possibility of a shut down as an opportunity for political gain. The man has usually put himself ahead of the economy ie. the good of the working people.

Why are we afraid of shutting down non-essential services? The fact that we call them non-essential should tell us that we can shut them down temporarily. I worked for a national corporation which had to shut down a couple weeks out of the year to save money. I survived and eventually found a better job elsewhere. Our gov't will also survive and most likely be better off afterwards.

The dimwitted and cynical Democratic Socialists simply don't care. For them, it is ALWAYS ideology first, country dead last. I honestly do not see a resolution of the impasse. The Dems are terribly disconnected from the American people, our Constitution, traditions, and our way of life. In short, they've morphed into an alien contagion feeding on the very foundations of the Republic. They should no longer be tolerated or compromised with. It is now a struggle for our souls, a struggle between traditional Americans and alien ideologues.

Frankly a liberating shutdown would be a Godsend. To compromise with these me-first statists and socialists would be tantamount to treason!

I'm exhausted and incensed by their relentless anti-American, transformational, ideologically-motivated undermining of our country. They've got to be stopped!

On Monday I sent an email to Speaker Boehner asking him to be a tough negotiator..

1. Not settle for "splitting the difference" but to hold fast to cuts in an amount that are close to what is called for in HR 1

2. Cuts must come only from items in the 2011 budget. "Cuts" from Obana's proposed 2012 budget cannot be any part of negotiations.

I also suggested that he has a good case to take to the public: Harry Reid: a) never wrote a Senate budget for 2011, b) has not yet written a budget for the remainder of 2011, and c) is offering cuts from Obama's 2012 proposed budget, not "real" cuts from items in the remaining 2011 discretionary budget.

Congressman Clyburn continued this morning with the finger pointing from the Democrats, saying that although the Democrats had a majority in the House and Senate last year, it was the Republicans fault no budget was passed because they fillibustered it! As I recall, Democrats refused to address the budget because they were hoping to mitigate the disaster they experienced that November at the polls! Now it seems the Democrats want to force a government shutdown for the same reason, to hopefully bolster their and harm the Republican's chances at the polls in 2012! Who is playing politics with the budget? Certainly NOT the Republicans, who are not looking for extraordinary cuts from a multi-trillion dollar deficit!

I understand the budget cuts are to the 2008 budget levels previously approved by the democrats. Anything that is taken out they took out then. Nothing lost that people had in 2008. Why isn't that being touted and emphasized?

Pleaser supply basic perspective on why the suggested cuts are so minimal. Specifically, please publicize the discretionary dollars included in the 2008 budget and then show the increases (in dollars and percentages) in the current budget from the 2008 base. This should show clearly the rank hypocrisy and dishonesty in claims that the proposed cuts of even $100 billion are draconian; they are peanuts.

We are not in fear of a "government shutdown." It is a misnomer to suggest it and is only used by the democrats to try to spin an upset with citizens to generate hostility toward people who actually care about the outrageous past two years of unabated Obama spending.

We, in fact, welcome any government non-spending in order to draw more attention to the crippled condition we now find our nation suffering under because of Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Frank, Schumer, Dodd, etc.

While not a fan of a governmental shut down we may not have any alternative to hold the Liberals accountable. Key points that must be made in the media include:

* The Democratic led Congress failed to enact a budget for 2010-11

* The Dems increased spending by any means neccessary but are reluctant to make any cuts to live within actual revenues. Therefore they expect to make up the difference in Taxes or monetizing the debt which will destroy what's left of our economy.

The Republicans already caved in from a promised $100 billion in cuts down to $61 billion in cuts (despite the CBO fining about $200 billion in duplicative waste & Bachmann finding, I believe, $105 billion in pre-funding for ObamaCare). So just cutting waste already found in Federal government by the government itself & defunding ObamaCare could get us to AT LEAST $300 billion in cuts for the 2010 budget. But Republicans seem clueless & they seem set for another cave in, down to probably just a $40 billion level of cuts. Pathetic! But perhaps it should be done & we can then move on over to pass Paul Ryan's 2011 budget plan & then stand firm on that! Also, the RINOs who caved in should be identified & Tea Party candidates run against them in the next Republican primary.

I'm just not sure how much longer this nation can survive financially so as to replace the jerks now in Congress who refuse to sincerely address our financial crises.

Why do we have to suffer thru this incompetence? Reid was in charge controlled the senate for 2010. Don't laws require an annual budget? Pelosi was in charge of house, they are to draw budget. Why are they not both in prison. Why are politicians not held to standards of citizens? Can we find an ounce of common sense in this country? We know the usurper in charge couldn't run a lemonaide stand, he don't have an idea what's going on. Arrest, imprison all these crooks now.

It is Obama that is is phony, there KJ. What we see from him is a speech one day and action that is just the opposite of the words the very next day.That is the meaning of phony. The Ryan budget is exactly what he has been saying for the last 2 years with adjustments for the environment created by the real phony. What has been the only Obama plan is being implemented for his sake. The pending shut down of this bloated, out of control government is part of the plan. Does anyone think just because a few billion dollars they would shut it down ? That is because Obama want the shut down because he thinks its a winner form him and the media. Every action Obama takes and every media report in the coming months is to re-elect the Phony Obama, while the economy, if he continues his destruction, sinks lower.

Although Soc. Sec. recipiants did not et the cola last year or the year before and now will not get one for next year, the Dem Congress voted them selves raises, there are several things involving Congress, both houses, that would help with the 2011 and the 2012 budgets. 1st= recall the raises voted to them selves, 2nd-cut the amount that each member is allowed for staff, 3rd- Have Michelle and barack get rid of the excess people being paid as czars and aides 4th- Make sure that BHO and MO pay for their personal and campaign use of AF1. 4th- get rid of members of Congress(both houses) pay for life. 5th- Freeze hiring in Federal Gov't., have early by-outs, eliminate dup. jobs. 6th- send Edu., welfare back to states an eliminate those depts. that are useless. 7th- vote in term limits and lets audit each and every dept. and get rid of all the waste.*th- eliminate Unions from Federal employees. The waste is not new, shortly after the end of WWII, my parents were complaining of the hiring people for jobs that already were filled. When BHO was running he swore he would go over each dept. and bureau with a fine tooth comb, line by line, to eliminate waste, yet he has added jobs and not done the refining of ANY dept. Eliminating Gov't. waste, then the excess retirement for Congress would e a huge start toward balancing the budget, one thing we need to maintain is our defense dept. BUT there is waste there also. One thing would be furnishing transportation ie: gov't owned cars,planes to anyone, curtail members of congress and VP from traveling overseas on tax payers money, without a very good reason. Then shut down Planned parenthood and NPR, ACORN and SEIU. When Congress funds someone who is against the majority of those in the country this is a form of Communism

Yes – shut it down! The vital areas are not impacted by the shutdown. I doubt that most or the majority of Americans will notice any difference while it is shut down. This may lead to the next question of why must we have this function, department, section, etc. of the government?

The President and Sen. Reid do not show leadership – they have not shown this in the past so why are we expecting anything different now. The concern that needs to be addressed is how to work around the liberal media that will sensationalize the minor impacts from the shut down. The media needs to look at the bigger picture.

The next issue from this will be how to work around the liberal democrats in preparation for change in the 2012 elections. The majority of Americans need to step up now and demand progressive change – we cannot afford to wait will the rich unions, media, Hollywood, etc. make this shut down a bigger thing than what it really is.

I'm at a loss for words. We are stuck in "Groundhog Days", folks. It's both parties at fault. The words that come to mind, deregulation, globalization, military spending, floating standard … WE let government get out of control a long time ago. I'm a Vietnam era veteran, high tech unemployed/underemployed for 8 years and finally forced into early retirement … It's not about Obama unless you harbor a form of racism, but you should say it's about the global elite that control the world money supply and the world's dwindling natural resources and who ultimately control our government. Can't you see that? And we are the pawns. WE are fighting each other and WE will all lose because we are too divided and too many citizens just look the other way and thus don't understand the issues. And those that do either lean hard left or hard right and that will do us in. Whether you "with me or agin' me" doesn't matter. I respect your opinion too. I am just another voice.

Pleading for "Common Sense" from Congress and the White House? Complete waste of time. Common Sense won't ever happen. Remember, this scenario was planned when a Democrat wipe-out last election became obvious. How can we trap the GOP and make them the bad guys?

The Democrat goal is to retain control. Don't cut spending, plus increase spending and raise taxes to pay for it all. In other words, it is called "Vote Buying". And this, folks, is how it's done.

Ware is are feerless leader in the budget battle? OH! I see, he is taking a trip to Detroit to campain for president again. I got news for him, He has not been OUR president in his first. The question, ARE YOU BETTER OFF NOW SINSE obama has been president? NOT HARDLY!

The farm is on fire and stubborn Reid is playing footsie with the enemies. He must have been sick and missed basic math classes. Forget the future generations…..there will not be any……the collapse is very near. Grab the fire extinguisher and get out before Reid and Obama burn it all down!!! Tlhese men are in bed with Soros. Thank you, Paul Ryan, Ron Paul, Boener, Bachman and Allen and all of you wonderful Tea Party Congress People with character who are standing up against the sick people who can't even see the fire. We support you. You are our only hope with God.

I wonder when the people of this nation is going to wake up to the fact that Harry Reid is against anything the repulican house is trying to do. It does not matter that he has tampered with the election in Nevad, he only cares for what is good for Harry.

Obama is of the same cloth as Reid if cannot destroy the country he against it.

It is unfortunate that we have such a sorry excuse for a President. His lack of direction and inexperience show on a daily basis.
Why doesn't he step up to the table and do what he was elected to do? Why the "CHANGE" voters elected such an inexperienced
man for President is above my level of understanding!! I hope they like the "CHANGE" they are enjoying. Tremendous debt that our
great-grandchildren will be trying to pay off over their lives.

If the federal government shuts down non-essential, we will save money. the longer it takes,perhaps, the more we save. Or is this really preposterous! I believe shutting down a really poor way to save.

Hopefully, Mr. Boehner realizes that there is no negotiating with these statists.

I stand with Paul Ryan and other conservatives who advocate for real and meaningful budget reform. I will not abandon the cause or withdraw my support for these representatives, as we battle against an aggressive and rampant progressive liberal machine.

Its a shame, but another example of biased media, that Comcast.net shows a picture of Mr. Boehner, alone, for their story of a looming government shutdown. Informed Americans realize that he blame falls on last year's speaker, senate and our president who foolishly wasted their time (not to mention our time and money) chasing utopian dreams of an all powerful central government.

It seems to me that the Democrats have no business opening their mouths about any cuts or any reductions because they didn't do their job in the first place. But the reality is that from now until the 2012 elections it's going to be a drum beat of how damaging the cuts will be, the number of people who will suffer and the agony the Republicans will inflict on America. I have never in my life seen such a leadership void in Washington and in this Congress and it's a wonder anything gets done. One thing we know for sure is that since Obama took the reigns, prices haver increased, the deficeit has ballooned and things in the country are sure worse than they were 4 years ago.

nero watched rome burn….and set the fires himself with an idea of a new start and naming the new city on the hill after himself…he decided that rome was not worth his glory…that he would sully himself by dealing with the various factions that grew increasingly unruly in the aftermath of the republic…he fiddled and watched it all burn….as what man god would not when he looked over creation and saw it filled with the unenlightened and intractable…who still found value and a reason to fight for it..was nero the wise counsel who stayed above the fray and brushed the ash from his toga….and accepted that it was not…not his resposibility….his city…his charge…or his obligation as a leader…to lead…nero played his own game….what game is playing out here…in plain sight….what fire…. set to end our republic by testing freedom to destruction….what fire is this of which we stand witness…

This is a battle that the conservatives mudt win. However the battle shouldn't even exist and wouldn't if the democrats had done theri job and past a budget last october.

Until 2013 when the conservitives win the senate and whitehouse everything will be an uphill battle. That battle must be fought and won at every point that it is winnable, The senate and Reid are doing everything they can to impede any progress what so ever.

If shutting the government down is the only way to set this country on a new path towards fiscal responsibility then so be it.

I love you all, but you don't understand that these last days of America! Nobody, not even a black Republican can beat Obama because of the "Eve-vote"(women vote, who are in the majority)! You do realize that Cain was the first-born who killed Abel, right? Watch!

The President has never been the leader or supporter of our country that one would expect an American President to be. He has been campaigning ever since he took office.

When it comes to the government shutdown – he in no way has been bi-partisan on hardly any issue in the last two years. Politics played into this with the Democrats not passing this budget last year. They wanted to just protect their numbers in congress, And now they want to play the blame game as usual.

I take offense at Nancy Pelosie and others of her party trying the SCARE tactics with the Seniors. We are smarter than that!

Children in the sand box make more sense than the Democrat Party under Reid non-leadership while the Pres flies off in AF 1 on another vacation tour of tough combat on the local golf course. And people wonder how we got into this disgraceful financial mess? Is Reid and Obama capable of mounting a successful invasion of the big sand box when the other little children go to lunch?

What's wrong with a shutdown? It's happened in other countries and there's been no disaster. Parties are using a "Government Shutdown" as a threat. It supposedly threatens the people but NOT those who threaten. If there's no money, shut the thing down until there is, BUT with one major change: Shut down what we DON'T NEED:

Do we need the Congress? NOPE. Do we need the House? NOPE. Do we need the White House? Must definitely not. Shut them down, don't pay them until they get their act straight! That'll save a ton of money. While we're at it, shut a number of Departments, like Energy, Education, Commerce… just leave Defense and Homeland Security.

Do we need to give billions in foreign aid to Africa and a list of other nations that don't like us and even oppose us and vote against us at the UN?

What's the matter with those arrogant idiots in Washington? Every average American family is capable of shutting down non essential services, but they don't!

Again, SHUT IT DOWN. We can all manage very well indeed without a suffocating socialist bureaucracy trying to run our lives. Once the folks see how liberating a smaller gov't really is, the Democratic Socialists will have lost the battle for our souls.

If we lose this budget struggle with Reid, Obama and their Progressive minions, I think we can count the days to the nation's dissolution. Look around folks. There are more nullification movements around the country thann at any time since before the Civil War. Most Americans will never, ever accept a socialist state. That's where the "indivisibility" ends. Union under socialism is totally without merit. If the statists rule in this budgetary struggle, then we must move on to establish a separate nation, the Republic of America, which values constitutional order, the individual, traditional American values, and free enterprise. This struggle with the statists has become tedious and without end. We must move on.

Maybe a partial shut down isn't bad as it will show that we are not bargaining or joking about drastically cutting these huge spendings. That's a necessary pain we have to go through and in reality -only those comfortably seated on Federal Funds and other partisan of a so called and concealed wealth (re) distribution, that is against America and for he who hides inside the W.H (not Obama) and his people; the very Enemies of US-will feel the pain. As for us we live it everyday already. Aren't we ?

What's wrong with a shutdown? It's happened in other countries and there's been no disaster. Parties are using a "Government Shutdown" as a threat. It supposedly threatens the people but NOT those who threaten. If there's no money, shut the thing down until there is, BUT with one major change: Shut down what we DON'T NEED:

Do we need the Congress? NOPE. Do we need the House? NOPE. Do we need the White House? Must definitely not. Shut them down, don't pay them until they get their act straight! That'll save a ton of money. While we're at it, shut a number of Departments, like Energy, Education, Commerce… just leave Defense and Homeland Security.

Do we need to give billions in foreign aid to Africa and a list of other nations that don't like us and even oppose us and vote against us at the UN?

What's the matter with those arrogant idiots in Washington? Every average American family is capable of shutting down non essential services, but they don't!

Ken Jarvis, the GOP doesn't need to be told what to do. The GOP is much wiser and mature. Actions show it. The democrats dumped their dereliction in the laps of the GOP. Because democrats have no care in the world or accountability to face, they continue to destroy this country and the potential of the people they serve.

The GOP has to cut seriously because of the overreach and the misleading of democrats who would rather imagine a need, instead of giving the benefit of the doubt and respect of personal strength. If the president refuses the necessary bill, then he proves to be who he is. Anti-American.

Though a shutdown might even be a blessing, that's not really the issue here. Your premise that there is a need for Obama to exert leadership is right on target – and is actually a common thread that has woven its way through nearly every crisis Obama creates or encounters. As the old adage goes, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip. Obama cannot manage and he clearly cannot lead. While the biased media was incessantly questioning the qualifications for Sarah Palin to be VP, not one of them gave a thought to what job and life skills a community organizer could possibly bring to the Presidency.

In order to lead, a person must be able to give reason for people to want to follow. One can cause mindless victims, entitlement seekers, and union thugs to follow you indefinitely, but not people of rational thought, character, and ambition – for they must see, understand, and subscribe to a vision. Obama, on the other hand, can't articulate a vision simply because it would reveal his inner collectivist soul. And beyond that, his breadth and depth of vision is non-existent. The Obama turnip has no blood – he is simply incapable of being a leader.

Were not the spending increases of the past two years very significant? Yes they were, money we don't have is being spent by the Democrat party as though it was theirs and they had plenty to spare. So, I ask, why should not the spending cuts be significant? Chuck Schumers dimwit ploy to make Republicans look bad is not going to work. Make the cuts significant, make the cuts "extreme!" Make the cuts large enought for the Honorable Mr. Schumer to gag on. Then refuse to apologize, and next year make the cuts even larger. And to my fellow Americans, more house cleaning (that would be House and Senate) is necessary and the cleaning date is set for November 2012. Be There!!!!!!!

What is truly intriguing is "non-essential personnel" will be told to stay home. Ummm, if they are non-essential, then why are they on the payroll to begin with? No wonder our fiscal woes are so extreme!

"…trillions of dollars in debt await future generations. Majority Leader Reid and President Obama now must put politics aside, agree to modestly cut spending, move the process forward and avoid a shutdown".

This situation, among other examples throughout history to this day, is the same sort of thing, as in exactly why, Thomas Jefferson said "The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first"…as in evidence in such as, but certainly not limited to, the Pelosi-led House not producing and passing a budget as specifically bound and required by the Constitution, the trillions of dollars in ongoing and out-of-control government taxing, spending, and government debt being inflicted and imposed upon both current and future generations, and the antics and machinations of Obama, Reid, and other Statists who speak and act as they do for them to get away with it all and more!

So of course any such talk or action to "tie (government) down with the chains of the Constitution" is met with such complaining, demagoguery, pandering, and determination to put a stop to that by such as Obama, Reid, and other such Statists as they who thus also make evident their determination to do so at any and all costs to both current and subsequent generations of us, the people, including through any so-called "government shut-down(s)" for which such politicians and their accomplices always of course blame anybody and everybody who opposes their government power-growing agenda, including Thomas Jefferson who also said that as government power grows freedom decreases!

The question is: Will enough of us, the people, put a stop to such as Obama and Reid seeking, speaking, and acting for government to be further unchained by the Constitution, at the expense of both current and subsequent generations of the people, by doing every non-violent thing we can do to stop them and put them out of power as soon as we can, or will we continue to settle for "Statist" and "Statist-lite", including in the next election, and thus practically refuse to "tie the second (government) down with the chains of the Constitution so that the second (government) does not (continue becoming) the legalized version of the first"?

If anybody reacts as if any of this should not be posted here, as if any of it is "too strong" or whatever, it's time to realize that if most of us, the people, and any of our private businesses did any one or more of some of the things which government is doing, including to both current and subsequent generations of us, the people, certain politicians and others would practically declare from the rooftops and in every other way "That's illegal!!" or "That's criminal!" and it would be as the saying goes "The only thing which would beat us, the people, to prison would be the headlights on the (government-owned, taxpayer paid-for) law enforcement vehicles".

What government service would you pay one cent for if you didn't have to other than national defense and homeland security?

I say shut the whole damn thing down NOW and call for a zero (0%) corporate tax rate and make it permanent. This would create a magnet to attract businesses from all over the world to bring their operations, headquarters and capital back to the USA forever. You would then create a free market environment that could suck up the public sector employees(sic) as they scurry off their sinking ship as well as put to work the rest of Americans who are actively seeking employment.

This could have the side benefit of shelving the entire discussion of trying to reach an agreement with Obama, Reid et al and would blow the federal unions completely out of the picture.

Then let the new 2012 wave of conservatives who take over all three branches of government determine what course of action to take from there.

There are far bigger issues to deal with than the budget and that is the pending problem with the middle east, Israel, our borders and those bad apple Islamists who have already invaded our country.

I watched the fiasco on Cspan last night and was appalled by the scare tactics and innuendos by both parties.

We can cut, cut and cut some more and still not get rid of fraud and waste perputrated on the American people..seems ALL of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans have been conned by George Soros and his billions. I do NOT remember Soros name on the ballot ever so why is HE running OUR Country behind the scenes? We do not like his New World Order anyway.

Shut the Government down UNTIL both parties get serious and stop playing games with tax-payer's money. Let them dip into their OWN pockets to fund their social programs, National Parks, Planned Parenthood and Abortion among others; we Citizens can no longer afford to support the entire world!

We can't even afford gasoline, groceries or medicine thanks to Congress!

The comments made by Reid are just a lot of hot air. In my opinion, the only reason he was re-elected was that Acorn registered not only the entire Dallas Cowboys roster to vote in the 2008 election, but pets and children, including a 12 year old boy (can we say 'Absentee voting voter fraud?).

Both houses of representatives have declined to give anyone on Social Security a raise in the past 2 years, citing the COLI (cost of living index) has not risen. Hello, anyone seen the price of gas or groceries skyrocket the past 2 years? I've got 2 parents working part time to make ends meet, including my 80 yr old mother who has a severe heart condition, not to mention Medicare covers less and costs more. My husband and I are also tightening our belts to pay for the same things plus help our adult kids with theirs. Now, if WE have to submit to all this belt tightening, how about YOU, Mr. Reid with your private jet. Give me a break!!!!

Shut down the government. Obamba has shown his ugly face over and over on the shut down. The only thing he's doing is showboating. Democrats, I am hurting now, my gas bill is $100 a week, food prices ( cannot afford to buy food) health care, my policy has gone up this year $30 dollars a month, no job in sight.

So what's it going to be Democrats? Government workers have a job with full benefits.

I hear people comparing this nation to the Roman empire all the time. And you know what they are right. And it is going right down the drain just like the Roman empire did. I love my country but I can barely recognize it anymore, and I'm only 38. I can't remember the name of the guy, but there was one man, a sociolgist who himself campared this country to the Roman empire and talked about the 7 stages I believe that were involved in a nations rise and fall, and if I'm not wrong we are between step 6 and 7. I for one would love a flat tax and this could help us get rid of the IRS and this in turn could also help reduce the amount of money we spend on that every year. That and I really do believe we should bring all of our troops home from overseas. I think we may need them more here than in a foreign country, and soon. As far as forming a new nation out of this one, well that could work, and hopefully we would have all learned from the mistakes that are destroying this one. I think I may have to get a second and or a third job if things keep going the way they are, that's if there are any available soon. One last thing, I think it is totally asinine to expect our troops to keep doing their jobs on credit.:(

[…] Morning Bell: Showdown Over A ShutdownHeritage.org (blog)But what about the Cowboy Poetry Festival? My God, My God what have we done! Shut it down! The federal workforce costs America $ 6.4 billion a week. A shutdown will mean these workers are not to report to their offices – BUT THEY WILL BE PAID REGARDLESS …and more » […]

I hope congress chooses to shut down this corrupt government. I hope the American People recognize it as taxation (HUGE) without representation (ZILCH). I hope the American People band together to ensure that the United States Government is disbanded as the Soviet Union was disbanded under Gorbachev, that there is no higher government than the individual state governments and that the national debt is paid off as soon as possible by selling off government military assets.

The American People have been telling thier legislators what they want for decades and the legislators are playing us against each other.We are being forced to pay for services that will not be performed. How can an intelligent population allow this to continue?

[…] much political pretentiousness, expires on Friday. If there is no renewed CR, the result will be a partial government shutdown (read: “debt accumulation slowdown”), with dire consequences such as the suspension of […]

[…] much political pretentiousness, expires on Friday. If there is no renewed CR, the result will be a partial government shutdown (read: “debt accumulation slowdown”), with dire consequences such as the suspension of […]

If the government shutdown, the american people need to hold the president and the democrat party accountable. Because, it was their responsibilities to pass the 2011 budget and had they wanted, they could have, for they had the votes in both houses. Instead, they want to play politic with the future of the cuontry.

To those who want to bring the military home: I have a son who served in Iraq and know many, many service men and women who believe in their task, and they are at a better place to see it than we are. These young heroes are ALL volunteer and are re-enlisting in the field to finish the job, so let them finish it, as they know the truth far better than we do.

As for shutting down the government, the military AND those on Social Security will still be paid no matter what, senior citizens who are shut ins ans receive meals delivered at home will continue to be fed. Pelosi and friends are lying as usual. It's to the point where I would not believe 'Obummer", Reid, Pelosi et. al. if their tongues were notorized.

Since the current functionality of government seems to be just to produce debt, shut down and flush the buffers is the only way to go; compromising on principles means there are no principles and that spells more than trouble, specially when it is other peoples' money.

This scale of criminal mismanagement, no matter the unprincipled ideology, seeks to reap the whirlwind — they should be the ones to taste it first. Again, no matter what it says on their straw hats: avoid a shutdown? don't make me laugh, do we need to wait to come to the end of the rope to know we are being hanged?

There's your hoped for Change, in spades.

Shutdown and send Congress home — to meet the people. Now, before we all go down.

[…] shutdown now hours away. President Obama chose to finally engage the negotiations this week, yet still deflected leadership saying: “I shouldn’t have to oversee a process in which Congress deals with last year’s […]

[…] shutdown now hours away. President Obama chose to finally engage the negotiations this week, yet still deflected leadership saying: “I shouldn’t have to oversee a process in which Congress deals with last year’s […]

[…] shutdown now hours away. President Obama chose to finally engage the negotiations this week, yet still deflected leadership saying: “I shouldn’t have to oversee a process in which Congress deals with last year’s […]

[…] shutdown now hours away. President Obama chose to finally engage the negotiations this week, yet still deflected leadership saying: “I shouldn’t have to oversee a process in which Congress deals with last year’s […]

I try to stay informed, but it is stressful. There are so many lies and distortions in the news, coming from our so called representatives that only represent their own quest for wealth and power. The oil crisis is only a crisis because it has been created by our congress that sold out to the Arabs for a few cents on the dollar. When I was getting a security briefing a long time past during the cold war, We spent five thousand dollars to get information on the Soviets that the Soviets could get from us for fifty cents. A Army corporal in the early 60’s sold out our technical nuclear advantage for two hundred and fifty dollars to soviet agents in Mexico. This is the same as what congress has been doing to us for generations. The corporal went to prison, and congress keeps getting pay raises and graft. When Pruhoe Bay oil field was permitted in 1973 we built 800 miles of pipeline with supports for two more additional lines in the future. We built 12 pump stations, a shipping port, and all of the production facilities in three years. The first oil went down the pipeline in June 1977. I was there and commissioned the field and was involved in the first oil sent down the pipeline. This created over 500,000 jobs not only in Alaska, but all over the continental USA. Obama shut down drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and destroyed over 100,000 jobs, and that does not take it all in when you see how much more he affected the overall economy. Artic National Wildlife Reserve is 74 miles east of Pudhoe and could be producing oil within two years of being permitted. There would be two million barrels of oil in the pipeline within three years. It now has about six or seven hundred thousand. It could also have more oil and natural gas lines added to the existing supports to get additional oil and gas to the south. The Bakaan field in the Dakotas Wyoming, Colorado, could produce millions of barrels a day. The west coast has a lot of oil from the Canadian border to Mexico. Drilling was shut down in California and the oil companies had to seal off the natural oil seepage from the sea bed they were being blamed for. They have sub sea seepage similar to the La Brea tar pits. The only difference is there was no way to blame anyone for the onshore tar pits. We have oil in the eastern gulf of Mexico, but we can not drill there. Florida does not want it. Cuba lets the Chinese drill within 50 miles of the “Florida coast. We give Brazil 2 billion dollars to drill for deep water oil. At the same time we shut down our own. The worst of it is that the oil from Brazil is contracted to China. Add to these alarming facts the east coast of the USA. There is oil there. No permits issued. Obama said the companies have many leases they do not drill, so he will not issue more. They do not drill for oil where there is no oil. With the latest technology we know where the oil is. we also know how to produce it in a clean and efficient manner. The spill in the gulf was the results of lack of oversight. Lack of oversight is the result of crooked state and federal officials taking their kickbacks to look the other way. This also caused the EXXON Valdez oil spill. I was there for that also and flew parts and equipment for my son that worked on the clean up. What have I learned from all of this? I have learned that you have to stay informed and speak out when you find malfeasance. This has to be done in all things. If there is money or power involved and you let dishonest people control it you are going to have problems. The jobs that would be created by producing our domestic energy resources would about end unemployment. The trillions of dollars we send to our enemies if kept at home would pay off the national debt is short order and at the same time strengthen the USA while weakening our enemies. It is time to ask all politicians why they do not let this happen!!! Or how much are they receiving in baksheesh to allow our destruction Jim Kizer

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